After the excitement faded, the members of the Genius Class began their training for the day.
It was only February. The first Monthly Exam had just concluded, and the finals were still two months away. The next Monthly Exam would not involve team battles.
As he watched Hinata and Ino train, Kitazawa suddenly thought of Yakushi Kabuto and the others.
Ever since they had joined the ANBU, he had barely kept track of them.
Kitazawa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
If nothing unexpected had happened, all three of them should have mastered the Rasengan by now. That meant he could begin teaching them new ninjutsu.
With that thought in mind, Kitazawa left behind a Shadow Clone and personally headed to the ANBU Base.
"Kitazawa." Konan, who was seated on the sofa, stood up to greet him.
Halfway toward his desk, Kitazawa changed direction and walked straight to her.
He reached out and lifted Konan's ANBU mask. A cool and beautiful face was revealed beneath it.
"Didn't I tell you before?" Kitazawa handed the mask back to her. "When it's just the two of us, you don't need to wear it."
"Sorry." Konan nodded lightly. "I'll remember next time."
"Sit." Kitazawa gestured.
Konan sat back down on the sofa.
"How's Akatsuki's business lately?" Kitazawa placed both hands on her face and gently kneaded her cheeks.
As he watched the subtle, adorable expressions flicker across her delicate features beneath his fingers, he couldn't help but chuckle.
"Overall, it's going smoothly." Konan paused briefly. "But we've run into a problem with the rainwater trade."
"What kind of problem?" Feeling the softness of her cheeks, Kitazawa asked casually.
"Competitors." Konan suppressed the strange sensation on her face. "Sunagakure."
"Where did they get their water?" Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
"They copied our model and built a pipeline," Konan explained. "Their supply comes from the Land of Rivers."
"They're sourcing water from Land of Rivers?" Kitazawa muttered thoughtfully.
How should he put it? Imitation was inevitable. Selling water sounded trivial, but it was outrageously profitable.
Sunagakure, which was perpetually short on funds, couldn't just sit by and watch Rain Country rake in money within Land of Wind.
After all, Sunagakure was located inside Land of Wind—this was their territory.
Drawing water from Land of Rivers made perfect sense.
First, it bordered Land of Wind, so the transportation distance was short.
Second, Land of Rivers's rugged terrain was filled with rivers and mountains—water resources were abundant.
"I sent Akatsuki members to investigate." Konan shook her head. "They're not buying the water. They're siphoning it directly from unmanaged rivers."
"Smart move." Kitazawa let go of her face and sat down beside her. "Cuts out the cost entirely. What about their sales strategy?"
"The same as ours," Konan replied. "Bulk water, plus a branded drinking-water line."
Looks like Sunagakure's finances really are in dire straits. Kitazawa couldn't help but laugh softly.
In the original story, Sunagakure had allied with Otogakure to attack Konoha precisely because they were broke.
But now, finding partners would be far more difficult.
For one, Konoha was much stronger, with additional powerhouses like Kitazawa, Tsunade, and Orochimaru.
For another, Otogakure belonged to Konoha, and Kirigakure was an ally. That left only Iwagakure or Kumogakure.
But negotiating with those two was like bargaining with tigers. What if Iwa or Kumo simply turned around and crushed Suna instead?
After all, everyone knew which was easier prey—Sunagakure(Hidden Sand) or Konoha(Hidden Leaf).
With war no longer an option, and after seeing the massive profits Rain Country was earning from water sales, Rasa had made a simple decision.
If Rain Country could sell water, then Sunagakure would sell water too. They lacked rain, but they had plenty of ninja—and a puppet corps. Perfect porters.
"At the moment, we still have the first-mover advantage. They can't match us yet."
Konan adjusted her posture slightly. "But they understand Land of Wind better than we do, and they've already signed several clients."
"Given enough time, it's hard to say who'll come out on top." Kitazawa thought for a moment. "Still, Land of Wind is big enough for both sides."
"Mm." Konan looked at him. "We're planning to start a price war to maintain our advantage."
"A price war can work, but it treats the symptoms, not the root problem," Kitazawa said after a brief pause.
Konan had expected that answer. She had already guessed that he would have a better solution.
"Why didn't you ask?" Kitazawa held her amber gaze for a few seconds.
"What should we do?" Konan blinked and asked.
"First, inform Land of Rivers." Kitazawa poked her cheek lightly. "Let them know."
Konan thought for a moment, then immediately understood.
Once Land of Rivers learned that Sunagakure was monetizing their rivers, they would definitely object.
Even if they allowed it, they would demand compensation. That would drive up Sunagakure's costs.
In a price war, Sunagakure would inevitably be at a disadvantage.
"Second, you can fight a price war—but don't lower prices permanently." Kitazawa continued. "Choose special days for promotions."
He then explained various marketing strategies from his previous life. Discounts, raffles, membership cards, and so on.
Konan's eyes widened in astonishment. The membership system, in particular, could lock customers in for the long term.
"Third, publicity." Kitazawa paused briefly. "Maintain your usual advertisements, but add unconventional ones."
"Unconventional?" Curiosity flashed across Konan's face.
"Endorsements and sponsorships." Kitazawa chuckled. "Like what Ocean Heart Jewelry did in Konoha."
"So we ask the Daimyo's wife to endorse our water?" Konan immediately caught on.
"She's perfect for jewelry, not for water," Kitazawa said thoughtfully. "Actors and actresses."
His mind drifted to a famous actress from the original story—Yukie Fujikaze. Her true identity was Koyuki Kazahana, the exiled princess of the Land of Snow.
That storyline came from the movie Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow!.
In the end, Kakashi and Naruto had helped her reclaim her country.
Kitazawa fell into deep thought.
He figured he could secure her endorsement for free. Help Koyuki reclaim her homeland, and she would gladly become their spokesperson.
At the same time, he could give his students valuable real-world experience.
[Current Quest: Help Koyuki Kazahana reclaim the Land of Snow.]
[Reward: Ice Release — Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals.]
[Accept?]
Kitazawa grinned. He had been worried about not having enough time to train Ice Release.
Now, he could obtain one of the most useful Ice Release techniques without any practice at all.
Receiving an Ice Release reward in the Land of Snow wasn't surprising in the slightest.
The Snow Ninja also used Ice Release. Of course, it wasn't true Ice Release.
By taking advantage of the snow-covered environment, they manipulated existing snow through a special Secret Technique.
In short, Snow Country's so-called Ice Release controlled snow itself, whereas Haku's Ice Release truly created ice.
"But television and movies have limited reach. Focus on sponsorship instead." Kitazawa brought the conversation back on track. "Hold more festivals."
Although the ninja world had television and films, they were expensive—only the upper class, ninja, and nobility could afford them.
Festivals were different. Anyone could attend.
"Thank you." Konan felt she had learned a great deal from this conversation.
Looking back, her idea of starting a price war paled in comparison to Kitazawa's plan.
"It's nothing." Kitazawa waved it off casually. "After all, I take half the profits."
Make money and raise Konan's affection—two birds with one stone. He had won twice.
"Sunagakure is one of the Five Great Ninja Villages." Kitazawa warned. "If they can't compete fairly, they may resort to underhanded methods."
"I'll be careful." Konan wasn't worried.
Akatsuki was powerful, and they still had Nagato, the wielder of the Rinnegan—someone close to a god.
Seeing how calm she was, Kitazawa guessed what she was thinking. That was true. A single Sunagakure couldn't possibly threaten Akatsuki.
In the original story, Akatsuki had been the final antagonists, capable of standing against the entire ninja world.
"I'm giving you half a month off. Go handle this." After thinking for a moment, Kitazawa spoke generously.
"Thank you," Konan replied with genuine gratitude.
"Then how will you thank me?" Kitazawa blinked and asked.
Konan was momentarily stunned. She fell into thought.
Honestly, she didn't know how to thank Kitazawa. In fact, she still owed him quite a few favors she hadn't repaid yet.
"What do you want?" Konan looked at him, her tone cool. "I'll do my best."
Kitazawa's heart stirred as he slowly leaned closer to her. As he drew near, Konan's body tensed slightly.
Seeing that she didn't pull away, Kitazawa placed a light kiss on her forehead.
Feeling the warm touch, Konan's eyes briefly lost focus.
"No reaction at all?" Kitazawa coughed softly as he asked.
Her response made him itch to tease her further, but he restrained himself. After all, their relationship was still in a delicate stage.
"I… I'll go now. See you next time." Konan stood up and left the office.
The door closed.
Konan pressed a hand to her chest. Her heartbeat had quickened—something she hadn't felt in a long time.
She touched her forehead in a daze, then vanished from the spot.
---
Kitazawa sat at his desk and picked up a pen and paper.
Yakushi Kabuto—without a doubt—was well suited to learn Yang Release Chakra Mode. With his talent, he would most likely master it.
Uchiha Izumi already had a suitable ninjutsu to learn: the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. With her Sharingan, she was perfectly suited for this A-rank technique.
The real headache was Aburame Torune.
First, he was still young. Second, his strength mainly came from his poisonous insects—the Phosphorus Destruction Bugs.
Kitazawa tapped the desk lightly with his pen, and an idea soon formed.
He could model it after the Kamizuru Clan's Bee Bomb Technique and create a Phosphorus Destruction Bug Bomb.
Phosphorus Destruction Bugs were highly toxic. Whether alive or dead, the poison within their bodies would not diminish.
Making them explode would add another advantage—a much wider area of effect. For example, detonating them high above a target to scatter poisonous powder over a large area.
Afternoon arrived.
A knock sounded soon after.
"Come in." Kitazawa looked up toward the door.
"Teacher Kitazawa." Yakushi Kabuto, Aburame Torune, and Uchiha Izumi walked in.
"I called you here for nothing special—just to teach you a new ninjutsu." Kitazawa nodded as he spoke.
"Thank you, Teacher Kitazawa." The three responded in unison.
Kitazawa took out three scrolls and handed them to them.
Kabuto opened his scroll, glanced at it once, and his pupils trembled.
As an outstanding medical ninja himself, he immediately understood the immense value of Yang Release Chakra Mode.
Torune and Izumi were comparatively less shocked.
"Follow my Shadow Clones and begin your training."
Kitazawa formed three Shadow Clones and led Kabuto's group to a nearby ANBU training ground.
He himself headed toward the mission-report archive in the Hokage Building.
Kitazawa quickly located a mission related to the Land of Snow.
The young Kakashi had once carried out an ANBU mission there.
At the time, Kazahana Dotō had murdered his elder brother and seized power, becoming the new daimyō of the Land of Snow.
Kakashi had rescued Koyuki Kazahana—the daughter of the former daimyō, Sosetsu Kazahana—and fled.
To evade Dotō's pursuit, Koyuki changed her name to Yukie Fujikaze and became a film actress.
Accompanying her was a Land of Snow minister, Sandayū Asama, who acted as her manager.
Once Koyuki grew older and deemed the timing right, he contacted Kakashi in an attempt to reclaim the Land of Snow.
With the help of Kakashi, Naruto, and the others, they succeeded, and Koyuki became the new daimyō.
After reading the report, Kitazawa nodded. It matched the plot he remembered—there were no major deviations.
He stood there, deep in thought. Should he send ANBU to contact Sandayū Asama, or have the old acquaintance Kakashi handle it?
In the end, Kitazawa chose the former. Sandayū was determined to restore the country. Whoever could help would be welcome.
Kitazawa set the report aside and turned to leave.
However, he didn't rush to find Sandayū. He planned to make this the assignment for the next Monthly Exam.
---
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
March arrived.
Kitazawa still hadn't fully mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, but he had successfully learned Ice Release: Ice Rock Dome of Magnificent Nothingness.
As for Wood Release: Cutting Technique, he was still slightly short of completing it.
Most of this time had been spent researching the World Extinction Arrow.
Hokage Office
Kitazawa raised his hand and knocked on the door.
"Come in." Tsunade's voice rang out.
It sounded authoritative, but the moment she saw Kitazawa, her posture relaxed into utter laziness.
"What do you want?" She leaned back in her chair and asked.
"Taking you out to play." Kitazawa smiled.
"To the Casino?" Tsunade shot upright. The sudden movement made her clothes sway, clearly outlining her curves.
"Nope." Kitazawa's eyelid twitched. "I've created a new bow-type Secret Technique. I want you to see it."
"Boring." Tsunade pouted.
"Then we hit the Casino after the demonstration?" Kitazawa stepped in front of her and asked.
"Now you're talking!" Tsunade immediately perked up and stood. "No time to waste—let's go!"
"In such a hurry? Do you even know where we're going?" Kitazawa caught her hand.
"Aren't you showing off a bow technique? The training ground, obviously." Tsunade looked at him, puzzled.
"The training ground is too cramped." Kitazawa shook his head.
Tsunade blinked in surprise.
Konoha's training grounds were massive—over a hundred meters at their longest—to accommodate large numbers of ninja and wide-ranging jutsu.
Most ninjutsu didn't even exceed a hundred meters. But for a bow-type Secret Technique, surpassing that range was perfectly normal.
"Then where?" Tsunade snapped back to attention.
"The desert in the Land of Wind," Kitazawa replied.
"That far?" Tsunade exclaimed.
"The desert is vast and empty. No one around." Kitazawa explained.
"That makes sense, but after that, where are we supposed to find time for the Casino?" Tsunade poked his waist, clearly dissatisfied.
"Don't you know me?" Kitazawa leaned in, kissed her cheek, and whispered, "I've already sent Katsuyu-sama to the desert."
"Now that sounds right." Tsunade ignored the kiss and urged, "Then have her use Reverse Summoning right now."
Kitazawa nodded and formed the Summoning Technique. He also needed to leave behind a split Katsuyu here.
A ripple in space spread outward. The next moment, Tsunade and Kitazawa were summoned into the desert.
"Lady Tsunade." Katsuyu greeted politely, then added, "Lord Kitazawa."
"Kitazawa, show me," Tsunade said with clear interest. "I want to see just how powerful this bow technique of yours really is."
She knew him well. If it were merely Spiral Arrow or Explosive Arrow, he wouldn't have gone to this extent.
She was the Hokage, after all, with plenty of work to do. Those techniques were decent, but not worth traveling all the way to the desert.
Kitazawa drew the Roaring Dragon Bow.
He had been researching the World Extinction Arrow for a long time, but had never actually used it.
The technique consumed an enormous amount of chakra. Only now—fully confident in his control—did he intend to truly unleash it.
And for that, he needed an audience. That was why he had brought Tsunade.
World Extinction Arrow!
Kitazawa pulled back the bowstring. In an instant, the bow trembled violently.
Tsunade instinctively fixed her gaze on it. Even without sensory ninjutsu, she could feel the terrifying chakra gathering.
What kind of bow technique was this? Anticipation flashed through Tsunade's eyes.
When the chakra reached its peak, Kitazawa released. A Yin Release arrow shot forward, striking a massive boulder a full kilometer away.
Boom!
The desert shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Under the overwhelming chakra explosion, yellow sand surged upward like a tidal wave, rising over a hundred meters high.
"Tailed Beast Ball?" Tsunade's mouth fell open in disbelief.
The power of the World Extinction Arrow had already reached the level of a standard Tailed Beast Ball.
As for the truly exceptional ones—
She meant the Nine-Tails.
With its immense chakra, the Nine-Tails could fire Tailed Beast Balls in rapid succession, causing world-shaking devastation.
"Not bad." Kitazawa nodded. "This is my World Extinction Arrow, modeled after the Tailed Beast Ball."
"The Dragon Vein really does rival a Tailed Beast." Tsunade sighed in admiration.
With her experience, she could easily tell how the World Extinction Arrow had come to be. The decisive factor wasn't Kitazawa himself. It was the Dragon Vein.
"The only pity is that the Dragon Vein sealed within the Roaring Dragon Bow can't regenerate. Every use permanently depletes it." Kitazawa spoke with some regret.
"Why expect to have it both ways?" Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Even if it can't regenerate, it'll last you a very long time."
"That's true." Kitazawa smiled. "So, what do you think of the World Extinction Arrow?"
"Absolutely perfect." Tsunade praised without hesitation. "From now on, Konoha effectively has two Jinchūriki."
As Hokage, the stronger Konoha became, the happier she was. More importantly, the additional "Jinchūriki" was Kitazawa himself.
She could almost feel her own retirement drawing closer.
"More than two." Kitazawa corrected her. "The bows in Hinata's and Neji's hands can do it too—though the cooldown is long."
The Zero-Tails and the Satori were far inferior to the Dragon Vein.
After firing once, they would likely need a year or more to recover. Still, having something was better than having nothing.
In a life-or-death situation, the World Extinction Arrow could completely turn the tide.
Tsunade's eyes lit up at the thought. She couldn't help recalling the Second Shinobi World War.
If Konoha had possessed those three bows back then, the casualties would have been far lighter.
The Third Shinobi World War would have been the same.
"Let's head back." Tsunade came back to herself. "With a disturbance this big, the Sand Ninja will definitely come to investigate soon."
"No problem," Kitazawa replied indifferently. "They'll never guess the cause."
"I'll have my clone use Reverse Summoning immediately." The Katsuyu beneath their feet vanished on the spot.
Moments later, an intangible summoning force enveloped them.
Neither resisted. Their figures flickered—and they returned to the Hokage Office.
"Thank you for your trouble, Katsuyu-sama." Kitazawa thanked the Katsuyu resting on the Hokage's desk.
"It was my duty," Katsuyu replied gently. "Please call on me anytime."
With that, she dispersed and returned to Shikkotsu Forest.
"Compared to Ryūchi Cave and Mount Myōboku, the Shikkotsu Forest contractors are treated with real respect," Kitazawa remarked sincerely.
"You can say that in front of me—but not in front of Jiraiya." Tsunade paused, then added, "Though I agree."
"Tsunade." Kitazawa suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
Tsunade struggled instinctively, but soon softened, responding eagerly.
Kitazawa could clearly feel the heavy softness pressed against his chest. After a long entanglement, they finally separated.
"Why did you suddenly do that?" Tsunade caught her breath and glared at him.
"A reward for you," Kitazawa replied with a perfectly straight face.
"…Nonsense."
"Alright. We've seen the bow Secret Technique." Tsunade kicked him away and shoved him aside. "Now we're going to the Casino. Let's go."
"Lead the way."
Having already taken advantage, Kitazawa had no choice but to indulge her. Otherwise, it definitely wouldn't end with just a kick.
"There's something I need to tell you." Outside the Hokage Building, Kitazawa spoke first.
"What is it?" Tsunade glanced at him and slowed her pace slightly.
"It's about the Hidden Rain Village." Kitazawa went straight to the point. "Our investigations confirm that Hanzō is dead. The Akatsuki Organization now controls Rain."
"What?!" Tsunade stopped in her tracks. "You're certain?"
That battle's memory had shaken her deeply—so much so that she couldn't believe Hanzō had simply died in silence.
"Yes." Kitazawa nodded firmly. "It's absolutely true."
"Akatsuki Organization?" Tsunade frowned. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
"Lord Jiraiya." Kitazawa reminded her.
Tsunade remembered immediately.
Jiraiya had once taken three students in Rain. Those three had founded the Akatsuki Organization.
"But weren't they dead?" Tsunade asked in confusion.
In the original story, the toads of Mount Myōboku had delivered Jiraiya a scroll stating that Nagato and the others were dead.
"Although it's called Akatsuki, we still can't confirm the current members." Kitazawa shook his head. "We're continuing to investigate the details."
"Mm." Tsunade exhaled softly. "Alright."
The two soon arrived at the Casino.
Kitazawa sat beside Tsunade as usual. He didn't watch her gamble; instead focusing on his own training.
Today's subject was the Flying Thunder God Technique. He closed his eyes and sensed the faint distortions in space around him.
He was still at the first stage of learning the Flying Thunder God Technique.
---
Meanwhile, in the desert of the Land of Wind.
The massive pit left behind by the World Extinction Arrow remained—an abyss with no visible bottom.
A fierce wind howled. A cloud-like mass of sand drifted overhead.
Standing atop it was a young man—the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa. As a master of Magnet Release, he could fly by riding sand.
Rasa gazed at the pit, his expression turning solemn. This was clearly not a natural phenomenon, but something created by human hands.
He could still sense lingering chakra fluctuations in the area.
Rasa's brows knit together. A crater of this scale suggested only two possibilities to him.
Either the culprit wielded Magnet Release or Earth Release, or it was the work of a Jinchūriki.
Otherwise, he couldn't imagine any ninja capable of such devastation.
But what had been the purpose?
Rasa looked around, but found no traces of battle. Was this meant as a warning to Sunagakure?
"Lord Kazekage!" A figure rushed over from a distance and stopped beneath Rasa.
"Yura, what brings you here?" Rasa guided his sand platform downward.
Yura was a jōnin of Sunagakure. In the original story, Sasori had controlled him as a spy. During the hunt for the One-Tail, he slaughtered many Sand ninja.
"Not far from here is our village's water pipeline," Yura replied. "I heard a huge explosion and rushed over."
A possibility immediately crossed Rasa's mind. Had Rain created this pit to intimidate Sunagakure?
Recently, Sand and Rain had been competing fiercely over the water trade in Land of Wind.
"Lord Kazekage, what happened here?" Yura asked curiously. "Did you make this with Magnet Release while mining?"
Rasa mined ore in the desert, and a few Sand jōnin knew about it. Yura, one of them, assumed Rasa had been digging.
"No." Rasa shook his head. "I only arrived just now."
"If not you, then who has this kind of power?" Shock flashed across Yura's face.
Most ninjas could never create a crater like this.
"I suspect Rain." Rasa warned, "Increase patrols along the pipeline."
"Would Rain dare?" Yura blinked. "We're many times stronger than they are."
"After all, their leader is Hanzō," Rasa said in a low voice. "He cannot be underestimated."
"Hanzō hasn't been heard from in years. He might already be dead." Yura speculated.
"Probably not." Rasa shook his head. "Every spy we sent disappeared without a trace. Only Hanzō could manage that."
Among those he had dispatched were jōnin. Yet Rain had located and eliminated them every time.
Who else but Hanzō possessed both the strength and the subtlety to do so?
To most ninja, Hanzō was a hero on par with the Five Kage. During the Second Shinobi World War, he led Rain against Konoha, Sand, and Iwa.
Although he didn't win, he earned tremendous fame.
Especially when he single-handedly defeated Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, granting them the title of the Konoha Sannin—a legend known throughout the ninja world.
"And Rain dares to compete with us over the water trade, which means they aren't afraid of us." Rasa continued. "Only Hanzō would have that kind of confidence."
"So we just leave Rain alone?" Yura asked reflexively.
"The one who created this pit is still unknown." Rasa pondered for a moment. "For now, continue making money. If Rain truly starts a war, we won't back down."
In Hidden Rain Village, the only one he feared was Hanzō.
But once war began, he would also have to worry about Iwa and Konoha taking advantage of the situation.
Konoha in particular had become frighteningly powerful—and had gained yet another terrifying Wood Release ninja.
---
The next day, a new week began.
Since March had started, Konoha Village's temperature had risen noticeably. Walking along the street, Kitazawa felt a long-lost warmth.
Winter had finally given way to spring.
It was Monday, so there were no classes.
Kitazawa planned to visit the ANBU Base to continue studying the Flying Thunder God Technique, and while he was there, check whether Konan had returned.
Besides that, there was one more matter. He needed the ANBU to look into Koyuki Kazahana's current whereabouts.
She was now a famous movie star throughout the ninja world. Finding her location would be easy, which was why Kitazawa hadn't assigned the task to Itachi.
After all, a mission with no difficulty didn't suit Itachi's strength.
The moment Kitazawa pushed open the office door, he saw Konan sitting on the sofa.
"Kitazawa." Konan stood up immediately.
"When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me?" Kitazawa chuckled as he asked.
"I returned last night," Konan explained. "It was already very late, so I didn't want to disturb you."
"Is that so?" Kitazawa walked up, pinched her cheek lightly, and asked, "How have things gone over the past half-month?"
"Pretty smoothly." Konan was already used to his cheek-pinching. Her tone remained calm as she replied, "Exactly how effective it will be still needs a bit more time."
"That's good." Kitazawa nodded. "If any problems arise, let me know immediately."
"Mm," Konan answered softly.
Kitazawa looked at her and suddenly thought of a question. Because of the water trade, could Sunagakure end up going to war with Amegakure?
After all, Sunagakure didn't know that Amegakure stood behind the Akatsuki Organization.
They were convinced that Sunagakure was far stronger than Amegakure. In short, they believed they held the advantage.
Thinking it through carefully, even if a war did break out, it wouldn't affect Konoha Village.
To Kitazawa, the top priority was still increasing his own strength. If his strength were sufficient, their conflict would instead become highly beneficial to Konoha Village.
Because then, Konoha would have legitimate justification to intervene.
"Go and call Antelope." Kitazawa stretched out his hand and said, "I have something I need her to do."
"Mm." Konan stood up, walked toward the doorway, suddenly remembered something, and put on her ANBU mask.
Moments later, Antelope knocked, entered, and stepped inside.
"Go investigate Yukie Fujikaze." Kitazawa thought for a moment before continuing, "Report to me next Friday."
Next Friday will be the Genius Class's second Monthly Exam.
"Yes, Lord Kitazawa." Antelope bowed slightly, turned, and left.
Kitazawa fell into contemplation. For this trip to the Land of Snow, he planned to bring Haku.
Haku possessed Ice Release; in a snow-country environment, he would gain a natural advantage.
Aside from Haku, he was somewhat torn over the other two candidates. This time, however, he had no intention of bringing Uchiha Sasuke or Uzumaki Naruto.
The main villain of this movie version, Kazahana Dotō, was only average in strength.
After all, this was the very first movie installment; its power scaling was far lower than in the later films.
Still, there were worthwhile gains—railways and airships, for example.
He figured he could bring those two technologies back, which would be useful for renovating Konoha or even the ninja world in the future.
After pondering for a moment, Kitazawa finally decided to bring Ino and Kiba.
---
Two weeks passed quickly amid training.
A new week began—Thursday.
Today was the first day of the Genius Class's second Monthly Exam: the theoretical test.
Kitazawa didn't attend. He waited until the next day—Friday—before heading to the Ninja Academy.
Nine in the morning.
All the Genius Class students had arrived and were discussing the team assignments.
Kitazawa was also finalizing the groupings with Sarutobi Hiruzen and the other instructors.
Once the final arrangements were set, he stepped in front of the Genius Class and announced the team assignments.
"Alright!" Ino exclaimed excitedly. "Teacher Kitazawa is leading the team again!"
"My chance has finally come!" Kiba subconsciously clenched his fists.
Whether it was Haku or Ino, neither was stronger than him. He could absolutely exceed expectations and take first place.
If his teammates had been Sasuke and Naruto, he would never have entertained such thoughts.
Haku nodded seriously. By now, his strength had already reached Chūnin level, and he was drawing closer and closer to his goal.
Although he still couldn't join ANBU for the time being, since Kitazawa was leading the team, he had to perform well.
"That's all for this practical exam's team assignments." Kitazawa paused briefly. "The top eighteen students may now go find their respective instructors and set out."
The remaining students would undergo the traditional practical exam under Umino Iruka's supervision.
"Teacher Kitazawa!" Ino bounced over to him. The golden bangs on her forehead swayed with each step.
"Teacher Kitazawa, what rank is our mission this time?" Kiba asked impatiently.
"It counts as S-Rank." Kitazawa thought for a moment before answering.
Kazahana Dotō was a jōnin, and he had three subordinates at roughly Special Jōnin level.
In addition, they possessed a special ninja tool known as Chakra Armor. This Chakra Armor provided considerable defense and could also amplify chakra.
"S-Rank?" Kiba declared confidently, "Just wait and watch my performance!"
"That's not necessarily true." Ino planted her hands on her hips.
Haku said nothing, but he nodded.
Kiba was instantly confused.
Normally, they were never this fired up. Both Haku and Ino were strong. If they became serious, the outcome would be hard to predict.
"Alright, let's get moving. We need to head to the Land of Earth." Kitazawa rubbed Ino's head as he spoke.
"An S-Rank mission in the Land of Earth? Could it involve the Third Tsuchikage?" Kiba asked curiously.
"How could it?" Ino immediately retorted. "If it were the Third Tsuchikage, it wouldn't be classified as merely S-Rank."
"True." Kiba scratched his head. "Teacher Kitazawa, who's our target this time?"
"We'll discuss the target later. First, we need to find our client." Kitazawa chuckled.
"Huh?" Kiba asked in confusion. "What do you mean? Did our client go missing?"
"Have you heard of Yukie Fujikaze ?" Kitazawa asked in response.
"Nope." Kiba and Haku replied in unison.
"I have!" Ino said quickly. "My dad once took me to watch one of her movies."
"What's a movie?" A puzzled expression appeared on Haku's face. He had never seen one before and had no concept of what it was.
Ino immediately gave him a rough explanation of what a movie was.
"Teacher Kitazawa, why are we looking for a movie actress?" Kiba's eyes suddenly lit up. "Are we going to shoot a film?"
"With your nonexistent acting skills, what would we even film?" Kitazawa smiled. "She's our client. She's filming in the Land of Earth. Once we find her, we'll know the exact mission."
"Actually, I really want to shoot a movie," Kiba said dreamily. "Then every ninja in the ninja world would know my name."
"If you become a powerful ninja, you can become famous too." Kitazawa glanced at him.
"Teacher Kitazawa is already famous throughout the ninja world!" Ino said with admiration.
"You're embarrassing me." Kiba shook his head. "How could I ever compare to Teacher Kitazawa?"
"I never said you could compare to Teacher Kitazawa." Ino hugged Kitazawa's arm and shot Kiba a smug grin.
"…" Kiba's mouth twitched, but he had no rebuttal.
"Pick up the pace." Kitazawa pulled his arm free, tapped Ino on the forehead, and said.
"Yes, Teacher Kitazawa!" Ino replied, her face full of smiles.